Irish comedy legend Frank Kelly has passed away

Frank Kelly, best known for his role in the Channel 4 comedy, Father Ted, has died.

He was 77.

Kelly's first film role was in the 1969 crime caper classic, The Italian Job, where he played a prison guard that escorted Michael Caine out of the prison in the film's opening sequence. Kelly was a well-known fixture in Irish comedy circles, including performances in Hall's Pictorial Weekly and the RTE radio show, The Glen Abbey Show.

In October of 2015, Kelly revealed that he was suffering from Parkinson's, having previously battled bowel cancer in 2013. He is survived by his wife, Bairbre Neldon and his seven children.

Kelly's passing comes on the 18th anniversary of his Father Ted co-star, Dermot Morgan.